In general, open-roof designs for individualized transportation has been utilized for many years as established by carriages and the first engine-driven vehicles. Open driving was and is part of the culture of automobile driving with continued interest for contemporary designs. In the case of convertibles, it is primarily folding roofs, which are constructed in such a manner as to be able to be retracted and stretched out again, with a structure of bars and an external skin which is correspondingly foldable. Such types of folding roofs have disadvantages, particularly for reason of restricted suitability during bad weather and winter and are, due to construction, adversely affected by unpleasant wind noises at high speeds.
For increased suitability during bad weather and winter, rigid convertible folding tops, so-called hard tops were designed to provide a detachable roof, with the same paintwork and finish as the body. However, early designs were extremely expensive and complex, lending to limited production offerings.
Because of tendencies within the culture of motor vehicles at the present time, convertibles are no longer purely used as leisure-time vehicles, such as a second or third household car. Instead, such vehicles serve as a primary vehicle, leading to significant design options for hard tops which can be retracted into the vehicle space behind the passenger compartment. The most common areas for storage include a space between the passenger compartment and the trunk or within the trunk itself, thereby restricting use of the trunk space while retracted. This design is commonly referred to as an internal storage design. Alternative designs have also included storage of the hard top above the vehicle trunk for purposes of simplifying the design and maintaining a pleasing appearance. Such designs are commonly referred to as an external storage design. However, such designs impede or prevent use of the vehicle trunk while the hard top is retracted and noticeably change the appearance of the vehicle profile. Therefore, a need exists for providing a retracting system that will allow external storage of the vehicle hard top that will not significantly effect the side profile of the vehicle and permit full use of the vehicle trunk space.
The present invention provides a solution to this and other problems known in the art, and offers other advantages over the prior art.